


day to day

by fairbanks



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: F/F, TMA Pairings Week Day 1, and apologies for later eps making things wrong/ooc, spoilers for everything before that, written after ep 93
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-19
Updated: 2018-02-19
Packaged: 2019-03-19 07:58:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13700235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fairbanks/pseuds/fairbanks
Summary: But no, Basira's little smile was directed at her, and Melanie simply stared as she walked up. "I knew I recognized you from somewhere. You're the ghosthunter who went batty in that railroad yard, yeah?"Oh."I- look, it is not what it looked like." Melanie could feel the flush of embarrassment across her face, always too vivid to bother trying to hide."I hope not, sorta looked like you lost your mind.





	day to day

One of the worst parts about the whole sorry situation was Melanie _liked_ the job.

Well, alright, 'liked' was a strong word used for situations you weren't manipulated into. Liked meant you could chose to leave, which apparently wasn't on the table, and liked meant your boss didn't have some weird, vague kill switch ready if anyone decided to off him. Liked didn't have fangs, not like this old building.

The bones were there though, the strong, persistent chance that once upon a time this job would really suit her. Melanie was something of a reporter at heart, was always good at digging up information, interviews, finding leads when no one else could. Heck, she found her way to getting shot by a ghost with sheer determination, so having the entirety of the Institute's considerable records behind her? Being paid to chase real leads rather than erstwhile colleagues and Youtube views? 

Wasn't bad. Wasn't bad at all. Shame her new colleagues were largely worse than her old.

Maybe that wasn't fair. Martin was fine, in that way where you could tell he didn't mean any harm even if he was kind of annoying. The boyish 'charm' and exceedingly misplaced devotion were all fine and good for some but Melanie had no time for it. It was a little better now, sure, seeing as she recognized at least some of Martin's ridiculously vague warnings and attitude for what they were but he was hardly her cup of tea.

Tim was worse, she sort of remembered a charming guy turned angry guy turned... this. Alright, yeah, she got it now, they were all going to die, etc. And really, the dry commentary was pretty funny at first but lord, the moping was getting old. She tried to be sympathetic, she really did! Ok sure, maybe not at first but later, and it lasted as long as her patience did. It wasn't like he was alone in all this, and apparently he had the luxury of sleeping it off on the couch while Martin tried to run everything those few weeks and Melanie just tried to get something like a job done. 

So Tim was a complete wash and she wasn't about to touch the whole Elias situation with a very long metal pole. When Jon first filled her in she had her doubts, even if she was willing to play along with Jon's double agent nonsense. It seemed silly now, doubting, because every time Elias came into the room she swore a chill ran down her spine, like footsteps you knew you didn't recognize coming up the stairs at night.

Was it just the confession? She didn't really know, didn't really want to know if she was honest. Melanie wanted to believe she wasn't a large part of the manipulated mess that was the Archives staff but she knew better than to think she wasn't at least tangled too.

Anyway, coworkers. Jon was a pompous ass who became a paranoid ass and was now... well. A mess, really. She didn't know if she felt sorry for him or still wanted to roll her eyes every time he opened his mouth. Maybe both. Georgie insisted he was a good guy and Melanie was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, even if Georgie had a tendency to help people most thought were hopeless.

And yeah, Melanie was definitely one of them, given the state of her reputation and life in general. That didn't escape her notice, thanks.

With the boys club out of the way there was the other two now, Daisy and Basira. Daisy was barely around and Melanie was fairly certain everyone was glad for it. Basira more because it meant she didn't have to mediate, everyone else because they didn't want to get their lights punched out for looking at her the wrong way. Melanie met a lot of nuts people in her time but Daisy really took the entire cake there. Maybe Elias thought he had everything under control but Melanie wondered if he wasn't playing with fire with no idea how hot it really burned.

Then there was Basira, who mostly kept to herself. She was quiet, kind of seemed disinterested in most things until she chipped in with a useful insight that proved she was ten steps ahead of everyone the whole time. Out of everyone Melanie liked her best, though it wasn't really much of a compliment so much as it was a process of elimination. Quiet, competent Basira was the least annoying out of the group.

And Melanie already decided with the stakes and a lot of weirdos like this it was probably better to keep her distance.

 

\---

 

When the smoke and rubble cleared Melanie glanced up to see Basira's stern face, assessing the threats around them with clinical precision.

She was in Basira's arms, the older woman crouched down and shielding her from the bits of debris that still ricochetted around. The cinematographer in Melanie couldn't help but yearn for a shot of this, a pan to take in how bloody badass Basira looked at that moment with the wind whipping at her hijab and dust settling on her eyelashes. When she looked down Melanie felt something in her throat, tying the words on her tongue in a neat knot.

"Well, that was a stupid move."

The knot untangled with a short laugh that was more a break of tension than anything else. "Yeah... anything for a story."

Jon sent her out for some interviews, trying to pin down some... cult? There were a lot of these cults, she came to find, but this one seemed to really get under Jon's skin. He insisted she only do some preliminary work, to _not_ dig deeper until she came back to base and they worked out what she got.

Of course it was hard not to dig deeper when the clear line was _there_ and all she had to do was follow it before she lost the chance. She figured Jon would understand, and he must have to some extent if he knew that her being late meant he should send Basira to help.

A good call, she'd begrudgingly admit, seeing as otherwise pieces of exploded oxygen tank would likely be sticking out of her guts.

Basira clicked her tongue at the response but helped her up regardless, grip firm as she directed Melanie behind her so she would be shielded from any remaining threat. Thankfully there only seemed to be the one, one that was writhing on the floor before but now seemed to just... just melt into putrid skin and burnt bones. Melanie's hand was at her phone immediately, taking as much video as she could even as the bile clawed up her throat.

Basira said nothing until the distant sirens began to wail. "Come on, that's enough nonsense for one day."

The ride home was quiet except for one exchange Melanie couldn't get out of her head.

"That was stupid, don't do it again."

Melanie felt her hackles rise, glancing over to where Basira was at the wheel. Basira's expression never seemed to change.

"I was doing my job-" Melanie tried, and Basira was having none of it.

"No you weren't, you were flying solo when you didn't need to. Anyone with half a brain would see that situation and know they needed backup. Pretty sure you have half a brain so I assume you just had a lapse of judgment." Basira had such a level voice it was hard to get properly angry, it felt like hurling stones at a solid wall.

Melanie sank into her seat, rubbing at the ache in her elbow from the impact of before. "Right, like our little group is built for 'backup.' Tim would rather lie in his own grave than do anything useful, Martin would be more likely to make the whole thing worse and Jon- do I even need to go there?"

Basira shrugged one shoulder, "Then ask me."

Melanie couldn't find a counter to that, mouth opening then closing before she pressed her lips tight. Basira still had dust across her cheekbones and looked like she could weather any storm.

"... right, fine, yeah. I'll ask you."

"Good," was Basira's only reply, and they spent the rest of the ride in contemplative silence.

 

\---

 

When Basira walked up with a faint grin Melanie didn't know what to expect. She looked around, wondering if there was something that warranted the somewhat rare expression on Basira's face. Sometimes Jon coaxed it out of her, which made Melanie jealous in a way she didn't really want to inspect very closely. 

But no, Basira's little smile was directed at her, and Melanie simply stared as she walked up. "I knew I recognized you from somewhere. You're the ghosthunter who went batty in that railroad yard, yeah?"

Oh.

"I- look, it was _not_ what it looked like." Melanie could feel the flush of embarrassment across her face, always too vivid to bother trying to hide. 

"I hope not, sorta looked like you lost your mind." 

Melanie's hackles rose instantly. "You are- _were_ a... a paranormal focused cop! You should know the weird shit that's around, I wasn't lying about it!"

Basira shook her head, face still soft with that barebones smile. "Yeah, didn't say that's why you looked mad. More the tone, really."

"Is that supposed to appease me when you just called me looney?" Melanie shot back, wishing she had papers or something to straighten forcefully. Sadly all she could do was click her pen aggressively a few times. No, didn't have the same weight. "How do you even know about that? It- oh god, don't tell me you were with the police that time."

"What? No, I saw it on Youtube." Basira shrugged a shoulder and Melanie almost relaxed at the information. Almost. "Kind of hard to miss, especially when you're marathoning Ghost Hunt UK."

"It- wait, you watched my show?"

"Yeah? It was pretty good. Run of the mill mostly but the heart was there. Your cohost was a bit of a jackass, though."

Melanie couldn't help snorting at that. "You have no damn idea. I just... I wasn't really expecting you to be the type to watch ghost hunting shows? I mean, you lived the real version in ways."

"I wasn't out on as many paranormal cases as you'd think, really," Basira answered, seemingly oblivious to Melanie's prior irritation melting away. "Besides, it was kind of nice? To watch something fake and stupid after seeing the real thing. Good way to sit back and laugh at, maybe bitch a little. The junk food of entertainment- no offense."

"I- well, I can't exactly argue that now. I was hoping we were at least uncovered the history well enough to be educational rather than just 'junk food.'"

Basira exhaled in a way Melanie was pretty sure was a laugh. "Sorry, didn't learn a thing."

"Somehow I doubt you were even trying." Melanie watched her a moment before going out on a limb, "Basira?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to get lunch sometime? I usually don't with the others because- well, they're annoying. It'd be nice to have company."

"So the way to your heart is insulting your show?" Basira's small smile grew and yes, Melanie swore her heart jumped a little just to spite her. "Sure, let's go tomorrow."

 

\---

 

They go to a sandwich shop a station away, because the area around the Institute was too rich for Melanie's blood and Basira agreed. Melanie spent a good chunk of the trip commenting about the relative fairness of being in some sort of death-monster job with their measly pay, though given Basira's job before she had the feeling she was preaching to the choir.

Basira didn't say much, hummed and nodded at the right moments, and that was... alright. Kind of peaceful, really. Definitely quieter than she was used to, with Tim's snipes and Martin's tendency to ramble.

Not that she was proving much better in the rambling department. "And then Jon - the pompous ass that he is - starts going on about how flimsy my proof was. I won't say I wasn't... _confrontational_ back but still, have a little professionalism."

Basira snorted. "I only met the lot of them after the whole... worm thing. That sounds more professional than I'm used to."

"Fair, they were better then, Jon especially. Honestly that first time I almost stormed up to Elias' office to complain, only reason I didn't was Sasha talked me down."

The topic of Sasha was a heavy one, maybe not so much for her and Basira but still, she felt it. There was a distinct feeling of wrongness, that of all people Melanie was the only one who would ever remember her face for the way it was. It didn't seem fair, but very little was in the Institute. That was something she was learning the hard way, day after day.

"You want to talk about it?" When Melanie looked up Basira was regarding her, not with pity or curiosity, just a level offer she could take or leave. Melanie realized she must have gone quiet, contemplative.

It was refreshing, a balm almost, pleasantly cool logic in the storm. "I uh- not now, no. Maybe another time though." She brushed her hair behind her ear, pretending the newfound focus she had on her drink wasn't a ploy to avoid Basira's gaze. "I can't exactly bring it up with the others, they're all pretty raw over it."

"Yeah," Basira breathed through her nose. "It's hard losing someone in the line of duty. More so when you didn't know your neck was on the line that way."

There's a distance to Basira's gaze when Melanie glanced up. She looked through the window, staring off in a way that made Melanie think there were probably old ghosts rattling around Basira's head, never quite far enough away. Melanie was pretty sick of ghosts, all things considered.

She didn't really think as she reached out, placing her hand over Basira's laid calmly on the table. The moment she realized what she had done Melanie froze, rigid as Basira's brow quirked, gaze flitting from their hands up to Melanie's wide eyes.

And then she smiled, still just that faint quirk of the lips. It freed Melanie's lungs, letting her pull her hand back as casually as she could muster.

"Thanks." Basira sounded sincere, in that flat way of hers.

Melanie kind of liked it. "We should do this again sometime."

 

\---

 

They did it again, several times, usually when Melanie got the guts to up and ask Basira if she wanted to grab a bite. She did most of the talking while Basira listened, offering enough feedback and small quirks of her lips that Melanie was fairly sure meant she wasn't a complete bore to Basira. 

It took a long time to admit to herself what she really wanted, and longer still to admit it to Basira. "Are we- would you ah... consider these dates?"

Georgie told Melanie once that she didn't have a very good words to mouth filter when she got herself worked up, which wasn't entirely a rare event. Melanie liked to think it wasn't always a bad thing, sometimes the power to speak your mind plainly was just what a situation needed.

Here, though, she was pretty sure she'd pay some power to let the Earth swallow her up if she had the chance.

(She did, very quickly, strike that idea right out of her head. It was too likely to _happen_ and make her pay for one overly dramatic personal thought.)

At least she managed to keep her eyes on Basira, who looked back at her with a quiet curiosity. "What, you think they weren't?"

"I- wait, were-" Melanie sputtered, only for Basira to smile in that fuller way that made Melanie's heart race.

"Kidding. Yeah, they could be, from now on. I wouldn't mind."

Ah, there was the heart racing. Melanie nodded. "Good, great, just ah... well-"

"Please don't let the next thing out of your mouth be 'I don't usually date girls.' No offense but I am at least a decade too old to guide someone through that." Basira interrupted her and Melanie immediately grimaced.

"No, god no, it's... well, Daisy?" Yes, that was something of a potential issue. "She's... are you two a thing? I mean, I _really_ don't want to wake up with Daisy holding a knife over my head because I asked her girlfriend out. I honestly think she's scarier than most of the ghosts I met and one of them shot me."

Basira laughs, or releases a breath like a laugh. "Don't worry about Daisy."

"So you're not together?"

That gave Basira pause. "It's... complicated. But no, we're not romantically involved. She's not going to hunt you down for taking me on a date to a cheap Thai place."

"... it's not _that_ cheap."

Basira's faintly troubled look softened. "You're cute, and yes it is."

 

\---

 

"So," Georgie promised icecream for updates, and Melanie didn't have a problem playing double agent again. Jon was always going to be a stubborn ass and Georgie was always going to be just as stubborn, so she just resigned herself to being their weird in between sometimes. It reminded her of highschool. "So let me get this straight-"

"Don't make me regret reporting to you."

"Shush. Ok, so you learn monsters are real- could have told you that, by the way- and go on an information fix that ends with you becoming a meme on Youtube and losing your job. You then obsess over said monsters-"

"Ghosts."

"- _ghosts_ , and get shot by one. You come back to London to get help from a guy you hate, find out he's wanted for murder, get signed up to work for what is essentially a cult you can never leave, run by a big voyeur Eye god. You help this guy you don't even fully believe isn't a murderer, nearly get blown up by a horrible flesh puppet and get a girlfriend."

Melanie considered the words for a few moments before shrugging helplessly. "Well, when you put it like that it sounds weird."

"I forgot the part where your girlfriend has a... friend? Who probably murdered people and would have no problem murdering you." Georgie pointed her spoon at Melanie. "You know, I thought Jon was the one who had no common sense."

"Oh come off it, you hid Jon when he was running from the police, you're one to talk." Melanie stabbed at her icecream before melting into a sigh. "Georgie, she's so... cool? She's _so_ cool. She has this little smile that makes it feel like you're in on a joke no one else is allowed to know, and sometimes she'll _really_ smile, it's so..."

As Melanie trailed off Georgie laughed, tone full of fondness. 

"Wow, you've got it bad. She must be something else."

Melanie thought of the dust on Basira's eyelashes as she held Georgie close, protected against her chest. She smiled. "Yeah, she really is."

**Author's Note:**

> in before everyone is ooc with more screentime
> 
> this may be the only pairings week fic i'll manage but at least i got one


End file.
